Combined spring bumper and spring drawbar



1936* v G. E. EDMUNDS ET AL 2,060,050

COMBINED SPRING BUMPER AND" SPRING DLRAWBAR Original Filed April 3, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 BIA-I71 Nov. 10, 1936. G EDMUNDS ET AL 2,060,050

COMBINED SPRING BUMPER AND SPRING DRAWBAR Original Filed April 5, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 10, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COllIBINED SPRING BUMPER AND SPRING DRAWBAR of Ohio Application April 3, 1933, Serial No. 664,260 Renewed September 4, 1936 7 Claims.

The present invention relates to a combination spring bumper and spring drawbar assembly for association with the end of a mine car or the like and to the individual mounting arrangement it of the bumper and drawbar relative to a supporting bracket, the latter preferably constituting an end sill.

A principal purpose of the invention is to provide a sturdy and simple construction wherein the parts may be easily assembled to operate efficiently. Preferably, common cushioning means are provided for the bumper and drawbar, the preferred arrangement being such that draft effort applied to the drawbar is transmitted through the cushioning means and the bumper to a bracket attachable to a car end.

A practical embodiment of the invention is shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the assembly partly in section;

Figure 2 is a front end elevation of the assembly;

Figure 3 is a section substantially on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the supporting bracket;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the bumper;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the drawbar; and

Figure '7 is a section substantially on line 1-1 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, reference numeral Ill designates generally the bracket, l I the bumper, and I2 the drawbar. The bracket comprises a horizontally elongated web I3 adapted to be disposed in a vertical plane along a car end. Arms I4 and I5 at the ends of web I3 and substantially perpendicular thereto are adapted to be secured to the longitudinal sill members of a mine car so that an end sill structure is provided, although any other suitable attachment means may be provided. As here shown, arms l4 and I5 extend, for the most part, rearwardly of Web I3, although they also project somewhat in advance of the latter. Strengthening means such as gussets l6 and I1 and rib I8 may be provided.

Horizontally extending Webs 19-, 20 and 21 project forwardly of web I3, webs l9 and 20 lying in 59 a common plane above web 2|. The adjacent edges of webs l9 and 20 are parallel, and as most clearly seen in Figure 2, they are thickened and provided with undercut recesses or rabbets 22 and 23. Vertical webs 24 and 25, perpendicular .to web l3, connect webs l9 and 2| and Hand 2|,

the adjacent faces of the said perpendicular webs being in the planes of the outer walls of recesses 22 and 23. a

outwardly of webs 24 and 25, webs 26 and 21 join webs l9 and 2| and 20 and 2|, webs 26 and 2'! being parallel to webs 24 and 25 and defining therewith and with the horizontally extending webs, pockets 2B and 29. Forwardly of web I 3, webs l9 and 2| are provided with vertically aligned apertures 30 and 3! between vertical webs 24 and 26 and webs 20 and 2i are provided with similar apertures 32 and 33 between webs 25 and 21. The horizontally extending webs may be interiorly thickened around the apertures as shown at 35 and 36, Figure 4 to provide wear surfaces.

Arms I4 and I5 may be apertured to receive attachment rivets or bolts and web l3 may have apertured upwardly projecting lugs 31 through which the web may be riveted or bolted to a transverse element of the car body.

The bumper l l comprises a top horizontal web 38 and a front web 39 rearwardly curved at its ends to merge with the outer surfaces of rearward extensions 40 and 4| which project rearwardly substantially beyond the rear edge of web 38. Web 38, at its central portion, has a rearward expansion 42 and is apertured as at 43.

Extensions 40 and 4| are adapted to be received in pockets 28 and 29 and are provided with apertures 44 and 45 alignable with apertures 30, 3| and 32, 33, respectively. The bumper I I also includes a bottom horizontal web 46 similar to the top web, the two webs being so spaced as to have an easy fit between the vertically spaced horizontally extending webs of the bracket NJ.

The drawbar' l2 comprises a top web portion 47 whose top lateral margins are rabbeted as at 48 and 49 to interfit with recesses 22 and 23 of bracket I0. Depending from the rear edge of the horizontal web 41 is a vertical web 50, the two webs being joined at their ends by gussets 5i and 52 which terminate upwardly in shoulders 53 and 54. A tongue 55 extends above web 47 and the two are provided with vertically aligned apertures 56 and 51. A coupling link as at 58, Figure 3, is adapted to be received between the hitching means constituted by tongue 55 and web 41 and retained by means of pin 59 passing through apertures 56 and 51.

In assembly, the drawbar I2 is slid between webs 24 and 25 so that the rabbeted edges of top web 41 take the mating relation with the rabbeted edges of bracket webs l9 and 20, as shown in Figure 2. Abutment of web 53 of the drawbar with web l3 of the bracket limits movement of the drawbar toward the latter. Hereupon, compression coil springs 60 and 6! are seated against the vertical web 50 of the drawbar to be positioned by means of bosses 62 and 63. The extensions 40 and 4| of the bumper H are now introduced by a direct horizontal movement toward the bracket into pockets 28 and 29 so that spring seats 64 and 65 provided with centering bosses 66 and 61 are brought into engagement with the outer ends of springs 60 and 6|. Upon further movement of the bumper toward the bracket so that the springs are somewhat compressed, pins 68 and 69 are dropped through the aligned apertures in the horizontally extending webs and the drawbar extensions, the pins being provided at their upper ends with heads and being held against upward displacement by means of cotter pins 10 and H below web 21.

Apertures 44 and 45 in the bumper extensions are elongated so as to permit movement of the bumper toward and away from the bracket. The rear ends or abutment portions of apertures 44 and 45 have a transverse diameter substantially the same as that of abutment pins 68 and 69 so that, in the position of parts shown in Figure 1, no transverse movement of the bumper relative to the bracket is permitted. The forward ends of the apertures are preferably somewhat enlarged, as shown, and the extensions so proportioned relative to the pockets that the bumper may move not only translationally relative to the bracket, but may swing relative to the latter, under side impact, about either of pins 68 and 69. The external curvilinear surfaces of the extensions are designed to prevent interference with webs 26 and 21 of the bracket in all positions of the bumper relative to the latter. Rearward movement of the bumper is limited through abutment of the extension ends with web I 3.

Upon the application of draft force to the drawbar, the force is transmitted through springs 60 and BI, the bumper, and pins 68 and 69 to the bracket and thence to the car. Outward movement of the drawbar is limited through abutment of shoulders 53 and 54 with the rear edge of the top web 38 of the bumper, and, of course, rearward movement of the drawbar is limited by web I3.

From the above, it will be evident that the various parts are very easily assembled. Preferably, each of the major parts is constituted by an integral casting, but the invention is not limited in this respect, since, if desired, the parts may be built up from the necessary shapes.

The various parts may be reinforced as desired. For example, the bumper may be provided with a rear reinforcing rib as at 12, Figure 3, and this rib may be extended along the inner surfaces of the rear extension as indicated at 12 Figure 5. Web 39 of the bumper may have a lower lip 39' which shields the front edge of web 2|.

The drawbar is guided for free sliding movements not only by the guideways of webs I9 and 20, but also by webs 24 and 25, whose adjacent surfaces cooperate with the adjacent surfaces of gussets 5i and 52. The undersurface of the top web 41 of the drawbar normally rests on top of the top web 38 of the bumper and the lower edge of web 50 may be guided on web 2|. Aperture 43 in the latter provides clearance for the lower end of pin 59, as shown in Figure 3.

Needless to say, in the practice of our invention, we do not limit ourselves to the exact constructional details herein disclosed, numerous variations being possible without departing from the invention as defined in the following claims.

We claim:--

1. In a device of the class described, a bracket for attachment to a car end in transversely extending relation thereto, said bracket comprising vertically spaced, horizontally extending webs, a bumper extending in front of said bracket and having rearward extensions disposed between said vertically spaced webs for guided sliding movement, said extensions and said webs having vertically aligned apertures therein, pins extending through said apertures, the apertures in said extensions being elongated and shaped to permit translational movements of the bumper toward and away from the bracket and swinging movements of the bumper relative to said bracket about either of said pins, a drawbar having a top portion disposed above the bumper and a portion extending downwardly behind the bumper, means on the bracket for laterally guiding the top portion of the drawbar for movement of the drawbar toward and away from the bumper and for limiting such movement away from the bumper, means on the bracket for preventing upward displacement of the drawbar relative to the bumper, said top portion of the drawbar being slidable on the top of the bumper, and compression spring means interposed between the bumper and said downwardly extending portion of the drawbar.

2. In a device of the class described, a bracket for attachment to a car and in transversely extending relation thereto, said bracket comprising vertically spaced horizontally extending webs, and vertical webs connecting said horizontally extending webs to form a pair of end pockets, a. bumper extending in front of said bracket and having integral rearward extensions disposed in said pockets for guided sliding movement, said extensions and said horizontally extending webs having vertically aligned apertures therein, pins extending through said apertures, the apertures in said extension being elongated and shaped and said extensions being proportioned relative to said pockets so as to permit swinging as well as translational movements of the bumper relative to the bracket, and spring means behind the bumper and urging the latter away from the bracket, the action of said spring means being limited solely by said pins.

3. In a device of the class described, a bracket for attachment to a car end in transversely extending relation thereto, said bracket comprising vertically spaced horizontally extending webs, and vertical webs connecting said horizontally extending webs to form a pair of end pockets, a bumper extending in front of said bracket and having integral rearward extensions disposed in said pockets for guided sliding movement, said webs being integral parts of the bracket and said extensions being insertable in said pockets by a direct horizontal movement, said extensions and said horizontally extending webs having vertically aligned apertures therein, pins extending through said apertures, the apertures in said extension being elongated and shaped and said extensions being proportioned relative to said pockets so as to permit swinging as well as translational movements of the bumper relative to the bracket, and spring means behind the bumper and urging the latter away from the bracket, the action of said spring means being limited solely by said pins.

4. In a device of the class described, a bracket for attachment to a car end in transversely extending relation thereto, said bracket comprising vertically spaced horizontally extending webs and vertical webs joining said horizontally extending webs, a bumper extending in front of said bracket and having rearward extensions disposed between said horizontally extending webs and to the outside of said vertical Webs, said extension and said horizontally extending webs having vertically aligned apertures therein, pins extending through said apertures, the apertures in said extensions being elongated and shaped to permit translational and swinging movements of said bumper relative to said bracket, a drawbar having a top portion extending above said bumper and depending webs engaged between said vertical webs to be guided thereby, means preventing vertical displacement of said drawbar relative to the bracket, means limiting movement of the drawbar away from the bumper, and compression spring means between the bumper and drawbar.

5. In a device of the class described, a bracket for attachment to a car end in transversely extending relation thereto, said bracket comprising vertically spaced horizontally extending webs, the top one of said webs being centrally interrupted to provide adjacent parallel guide edges, said edges being undercut, a bumper extending in front of said bracket and having rearward extensions disposed between said vertically spaced webs for guided sliding movement, said extension and said webs having vertically aligned apertures therein, pins extending through said apertures, the apertures in said extensions being elongated to permit movements of the bumper toward and away from said bracket, a drawbar having a portion extending above said bumper and having lateral edges guided in said undercut edges, means limiting movement of the drawbar away from the bumper, and compression spring means between the bumper and drawbar.

6. In a device of the class described, an end sill formed as a housing comprising an upright wall, a bottom horizontally outwardly projecting wall, and spaced top wall portions in a plane above and parallel to the plane of said bottom wall, said top wall portions having adjacent edges perpendicular to said upright wall; a bumper beam having end portions slidably received between the bottom wall and said top wall portions, said top wall portions and said bottom wall having aligned holes therein at the end portions of the bumper beam and said end portions having openings therein in register with said aligned holes, pins passed through said holes and openings, said openings being shaped to permit bodily movement of the bumper beam relative to the sill or pivotal movement about either of the pins under buff, a movable draft member having a horizontal hitching portion guided rectilinearly between the adjacent edges of said top wall portion, said draft member comprising also a depending follower portion behind said buffer beam, said hitching portion being directly slidably supported on said buffer beam, yieldable means interposed between said follower portion and the buifer beam and providing for cushioned draft and buff, said pins and said upright wall constituting abutment means limiting movement of said buffer beam and draft member apart.

7. In a device of the class described, an end sill formed as a housing comprising an upright wall, a bottom horizontally outwardly projecting wall, and spaced top wall portions in a plane above and parallel to the plane of said bottom wall, said top wall portions having adjacent edges perpendicular to said upright wall; a bumper beam having end portions slidably received between the bottom wall and said top wall portions, said top wall portions and said bottom wall having aligned holes therein at the end portions of the bumper beam and said end portions having openings therein in register with said aligned holes, pins passed through said holes and openings, said openings being shaped to permit bodily movement of the bumper beam relative to the sill or pivotal movement about either of the pins under buff, a movable draft member having a horizontal hitching portion guided rectilinearly between the adjacent edges of said top wall portion, said edges eing undercut and overlying the margins of said hitching portion to hold the same against lifting, said draft member comprising also a depending follower portion behind said buffer beam, said hitching portion being directly slidably supported on said buffer beam, yieldable means interposed between said follower portion and the buffer beam and providing for cushioned draft and buff, said pins and said upright wall constituting abutment means limiting movement of said buffer beam and draft member apart.

GLENN E. EDMUNDS. JAMES L. CAWTHON, JR. 

